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Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Runderwear to the Rescue

I once wore a cotton pyjama top for a fancy dress half marathon in summer. Half way round, I swore never again. Within a few miles, this seemingly light t-shirt had got so heavy with sweat, it felt like it was dragging me down whilst preventing any air from getting through to provide any relief. I was hot and uncomfortable. I've never been so thankful for technical running clothes.

Why then, if fabric has such an effect on your run or workout, do we ignore one small but very important piece of kit?

Underwear is important, as Katie warned me before my first half marathon. It needs to be comfortable, especially for long runs, after all, it's going to be protecting a very delicate area as you move. I spent ages deciding which pants I'd wear but the pair I finally chose were every day cotton pants from M&S. Perfect for pacing round the shops but running over 13 miles? I guessed they'd just have to do.

The thing is, you don't often see knickers specifically for running. I wasn't even aware they existed. I'd heard ultra runners go commando and our London Marathon "smile if you're not wearing underwear" cheer sign was certainly popular, so I figured pants were out of the picture when it comes to running long.

That is until I met Runderwear, a cheeky brand hoping to save us from chafe and sore undercarriages with, you guessed it, actual real running underwear. Their sweat wicking, seamless and breathable pants are designed to make the "uncomfortable, comfortable". And boy do they work!

No more unpleasant peeling off of post-run knickers. No more wincing in the shower as you discover new chafe marks. No more excavation required for underwear that doesn't stay put. And, for the fashion conscious, no more miss-matched underwear (they also sell a crop-top).

With over 60 miles worth of testing in sun, rain and hail, I'm clearing out my knicker drawer and filling it with Runderwear.

I'm giggling away to myself reading this because all my sacred running pants are primark multipacks and they are SO COMFY. So much so that I can't bear throwing them away and they are literally falling apart at the seams but I feel they help me run faster (ha!) however I am now feeling I should invest in something slightly more upmarket after reading this!